Time For Change
by Shadow Padawan
Summary: Obi-Wan starts to realize that maybe it's time to befriend his young padawan.


**Notes:** Writen as a response for the Wordy Fic challenge on TFN a few years ago. Reposted here now upon request.

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It wasn't that Anakin Skywalker wasn't a benevolent boy but for a long time Obi-Wan Keobi couldn't help feeling that his new padawan was a burden and at times even the bane of his existence. He had to admit that he was at least a little jealous of Anakin in the beginning. The boy, after all, had bilked him of his master's attention in Qui-Gon's last days and of his time as an independent knight.

Things didn't start off very well and Obi-Wan was ashamed to say that it was partially his fault. For all of Anakin's blemishes he had only been a young boy thrown into a completely new world for him.

Now Obi-Wan wished that he hadn't acted so harshly toward his most-of-the-time benign padawan. Obi-Wan had to wonder if his thirteen-year-old padawan was looking for him. It had had been – what? Tow weeks? – since Obi-Wan's undercover mission in the lower levels of Corsucant had gone awry and he had been taken prisoner.

The young knight had been working undercover to gather information on a possible terrorist-inclined group forming in the lower levels by individuals with little money who wanted to bring down not just the top class residence of Coruscant but the bourgeois citizens as well.

Obi-Wan had thought that his cover as a bard wouldn't cause much suspicion. Somehow, though, his cover had been blown and the members of this blossoming gang had taken it upon themselves to take him captive.

It wasn't that Obi-Wan doubted that the council would send someone looking for him but it had been quite some time and he feared that the search had been abandoned. Unless, of course, Anakin had insistent to look for him. It was a padawan's right to have extra time to search for his master but even that time had its limits. Anakin was still young and inexperienced.

I do hope he's hasn't gotten himself in any trouble.

The thought surprised Obi-Wan for he had not realized that he had come to care for the boy. But he had after all. If he ever got out of here he would try to be more appreciative of the boy. He would try harder to understand Anakin.

The door to the dark cell creaked open and Obi-Wan shut his eyes thinking that his belligerent captors were back to introduce him to another torture session. It was a true boon, though when the presents that he felt wasn't that of one of his captors but that of his padawan.

"Master? Master!" Anakin's hushed call echoed off of the cell's dingy walls. There were hurried footsteps and Obi-Wan forced himself to sit up. "Master, we have to get out of here. Are you hurt?" Anakin's voice was urgent and Obi-Wan glimpsed the fear in the boy's eyes. Fear. Obi-Wan had tried to get his padawan to let go of it but his young charge was just too stubborn. "Master, can you here me?"

Obi-Wan ran a hand over his eyes. And rubbed his temples. "Yes, yes I hear you, Padawan. I'm alright."

Anakin looked relieved. "We need to get out of here." Obi-Wan suddenly realized that the fear that he had glimpsed in Anakin's eyes was fear for him. Anakin didn't want to loose him. It was an astounding and pleasant discovery. So the boy didn't detest him fir all of their fights and such. Maybe things weren't completely lost for them. Yes, he would have to try and be more open to Anakin this time.

Anakin jumped to his feat and offered Obi-Wan a hand. The knight, known to be an independent kind, balked the boys help at first and got to his feat without assistance. He should have known better because everything started to swim in front of his eyes and he started to loose balance. Anakin hurried to buttress him. After several moments of unsteadiness Obi-Wan was able to make good escape time, Anakin still keeping a supportive arm around his waist.

"Anakin, try not to break a hundred traffic rules this one time," Obi-Wan advised his padawan as they climbed into the speeder. In honesty Obi-Wan wasn't sure if his already queasy stomach could take anymore abuse.

"I'll try," Anakin promised,

Obi-Wan thought for a moment then asked, "Anakin, how did you find me on your own…our bond, I must admit, isn't-"

"I know," Anakin cut him off, his tone a little said. "It was the River Stone," Anakin explained, referring to the stone Obi-Wan had bequeathed to him on his thirteenth Life Day. "It made your signature in the Force more clear to me."

Obi-Wan nodded.

"Master/?" Anakin asked hesitantly after a while.

"Yes, Padawan?"

"Will we have a strong enough bond for me to be able to find you without the stone?"

Obi-Wan thought for a while. Maybe it was time to let the boy in. "I hope so, Anakin. I hope so."


End file.
